Now, IGP Kashmir says two militants killed in Anantnag gunfight

As per the IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, the gunfight took place in a deep forest but government forces managed to engage the militants in the gunfight.

Srinagar, J&K —

Two militants have been killed in an ongoing gunfight in Shalgul forest area in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday, Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar confirmed.

As per the IGP Kashmir, the gunfight took place in a deep forest but government forces managed to ‘engage’ the militants in the gunfight.

However, the identity of the slain militants is yet to be ascertained.

Earlier, officials from security grid on Wednesday issued a clarification that no militant was killed in the area.

The unnamed security officials, quoted by a local news gathering agency, had said that firing had stopped and searches were going on.

“No militant has been killed in Shalgul area of Bijbehara so far. Firing has stopped and searches are being conducted in the woods,” an unnamed senior security official was quoted as saying by the local media.

The clarification had come after Kashmir Zone Police, on its official Twitter handle (@KashmirPolice) tweeted that four unidentified militants were killed in the gunfight at Shalgul, Bijbehara area of Anantnag district. Later, the tweet was deleted.

It needs to be mentioned that a joint team of Police, Army’s 03 RR and CRPF launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area. As the cordon was strengthened, a gunfight erupted.

Shortly after the gunfight erupted, mobile Internet services were snapped in the district ‘as a precautionary measure’.